1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever switch, and particularly, a lever switch that easily responds to miniaturization or to the required designs.
2. Description of the Related Art
As operating devices used for the operation of blinkers, wipers, or the like in automobiles, there are operating devices that are arranged near a steering wheel and formed in the shape of a lever. Among lever switches provided in such operating devices and used for various kinds of operation, lever switches designed to be easily pinched with the fingers are increasing being used in order to further improve operability.
A lever switch described in the following Japanese Patent No. 4695310 is known as a related-art lever switch. Hereinafter, the lever switch described in Japanese Patent No. 4695310 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of a lever switch 900 described in Japanese Patent No. 4695310.
The lever switch 900 described in Japanese Patent No. 4695310, as illustrated in FIG. 12, includes an operating lever portion having a first switch knob 905 and a second switch knob 906 that rotate, and a lever guide 909 having the operating lever portion arranged on a tip portion side. In a switch 9SW having a first switch knob 905 and the second switch knob 906 as an operation unit, an electrode board 914 is arranged to a base end side rather than the first switch knob 905 and the second switch knob 906. Additionally, the lever guide 909 fits a first stationary knob 910 to a base end side of a movable board 913. The electrode board 914 having a first stationary contact 923 that comes into contact with a first switch movable contact 921 installed at the movable board 913 is provided inside the first stationary knob 910, and the electrode board 914 has a structure in which the first stationary contact 923 is installed on the base end side, and a second stationary contact 924 coming into contact with a second switch movable contact 925 interlocked with the second switch knob 906 is provided on the tip portion side. Components of the lever switch 900 formed to have such a structure, especially components of the switch 9SW are formed in a substantially symmetrical shape as viewed from a rotational axis.
However, since the lever switch 900 described in Japanese Patent No. 4695310 has many components formed in a substantially symmetrical shape as viewed from the rotational axis, there is a concern that the structure as it is cannot be received inside a cosmetic part depending on the required designs.